In a powerful message from Ephesians 1:15-23, challenging believers to recognize the immeasurable wealth they already possess in Jesus Christ. Drawing from personal anecdotes and biblical truth, he emphasizes that the greatest need of Christians is not more blessings but clearer vision to see what is already theirs. Through Paul’s prayer, we are invited to grasp the hope, riches, and power available in Christ and to live confidently in His supreme authority.
Paul’s Prayer: Open Their Eyes (Ephesians 1:15-17)
Paul begins this passage with a heartfelt prayer for the Ephesian believers, giving thanks for their faith in Jesus and their love for one another (Ephesians 1:15-16, KJV). His prayer, however, is not for new blessings or better circumstances but for spiritual insight. He asks that “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (v. 17). This wisdom, described as sophia in Greek, is not mere knowledge but skillful, God-given insight into living according to His truth. The revelation, or apocalypsis, is an unveiling of what is already true but not yet realized. Paul’s desire is for the Holy Spirit to open their spiritual eyes, enabling a deeper, transformative relationship with God. Too often, believers live as if they lack something, when in reality, they have everything in Christ. Like a neighbor with a garage full of tools or a billionaire living as a pauper, Christians often fail to recognize the spiritual riches at their disposal.
What We Need To See (Ephesians 1:18-20)
Paul’s prayer continues, asking that “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe” (vv. 18-19). He highlights three realities believers must grasp: the hope of God’s calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation rooted in God’s promises. This hope, likened to an anchor in Hebrews 6:19, is secure because Christ is already seated in heaven, guaranteeing our eternal destination. The riches of God’s inheritance refer not only to what believers receive but to the astonishing truth that we are God’s prized possession (Deuteronomy 32:9). Finally, Paul points to the “exceeding greatness” of God’s power, the same dunamis that raised Christ from the dead. This resurrection power is available to every believer, enabling us to live victoriously, not through human strength but through Christ’s sufficiency.
Christ’s Supreme Authority – And Our Position in Him (Ephesians 1:20-23)
Paul concludes by exalting Christ’s supreme authority, declaring that God “wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named” (vv. 20-21). Christ’s resurrection and enthronement place Him far above all spiritual and earthly powers, with “all things under his feet” (v. 22). This imagery signifies total victory, as if Christ has His foot on the enemy’s throat. As believers, we are seated with Him in the heavenly places, sharing in His triumph. Pastor Léveillé recounts a story from Togo, where he passed a house marked by demonic symbols. Rather than fear, he rested in the truth that Christ’s authority surpasses all powers, and believers, united with Him, need not tremble before evil. The church, described as Christ’s body, is the “fulness of him that filleth all in all” (v. 23), called to live in the reality of His victory.
Conclusion
Pastor Léveillé’s message is a call to stop living beneath our privileges. Instead of praying for more, we should seek clearer spiritual vision to recognize the hope, riches, and power we already have in Christ. For those who have not trusted Jesus as Savior, the invitation is clear: He died to make you His child and to share His immeasurable wealth. For believers, the challenge is to pray Paul’s prayer, asking God to open our eyes to live fully in the reality of our position in Christ. Let us walk in confidence, knowing that we are God’s treasured possession, empowered by His resurrection power, and seated with Christ in victory.
